Pumpkin ‘Goma-ae’

Name: Pumpkin ‘Goma-ae’
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 450-500 g Pumpkin Outer Parts with Skin; 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil *optional; 2 tablespoons Toasted Sesame Seeds *ground; 1 tablespoon Sugar; 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Hiroko Liston @hirokoliston

Melbourne, Australia

Japan has great Pumpkins that have rather dry and powdery texture like Chestnuts. Since I moved to Australia, I have tried to create some pumpkin dishes that I used to cook in Japan, but all Pumpkins available in Australia, including a Pumpkin called Japanese Pumpkin, have turned too watery, sloppy or mushy. They are not suitable for those Japanese dishes such as this ‘Goma-ae’. HOWEVER, I recently discovered a solution. Use outer parts only and roast them.

Hiroko Liston @hirokoliston

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Ingredients

4 servings

450-500 gPumpkin Outer Parts with Skin
1 teaspoonSesame Oil *optional
‘Goma-ae’ Sauce
2 tablespoonsToasted Sesame Seeds *ground
1 tablespoonSugar
2 tablespoonsSoy Sauce

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Steps

1

Cut Pumpkin into bite-size pieces and cut skin side into 20 to 25mm thick. Coat with a small amount Sesame Oil, spread on a baking tray, and roast in the oven at 200℃ for 15 minutes or until cooked. *Note: Use the softer parts for soup or something else.
2

Meanwhile, Grind Toasted Sesame Seeds, add Sugar and Soy Sauce, and mix well to make sauce.
3

Combine cooked Pumpkin and the sauce.
4

*Note: The photo above is Kent Pumpkin, cut to 25mm thick. The skin was rather orange when I bought it. The photo below is Butternut Pumpkin, cut to 10mm thin. It was a little bit chewy.